True Love Never Dies
by Leia Belle Organa
Summary: Stefan and Elena (AE) to 5X4
1. A Twist Of Fate

True Love Never Dies

Chapter 1:

A Twist of Fate

This was all happening too fast. Elena was holding Stefan's face in her hands. She still wanted him, she still needed him. But, she knew it was wrong, she was with Damon now, loving Stefan this way wasn't right. Yet, she just couldn't bring herself to stop. She took a deep breath and started to let him go, only he did something she did not expect, he reached out and grabbed her left hand.

"Don't," he spoke, as he put her hand back on his cheek.

Elena complied, and pulled herself closer to him. She knew what they were about to do. _How can I be doing this? Isn't this wrong? If it was, then why did it feel so right? _She thought to herself. She knew she had to tell him that she was with Damon, and apoligse for leading him on. It was wrong and she knew it. Yet, here she was just inches away from him, wanting to kiss and hold him, just like before. Only now, she didn't want to tell him, she actually started to feel that what they were doing was right, and what she had with Damon was wrong. If she told him now, it would only hurt him, and it would crush her, she wouldn't let that happen.

Elena lips started to brush his. Stefan began kissing her back. Soon they grew hungrier for each other, like each kiss was never long enough. Their lips stuck together like glue, while their bodies melted against each other. Elena felt like she was in heaven. Stefan had once again, brought her back to life. Once they had stopped, they both had to gasp for air. _Oh, my God! How long were we kissing? _Elena thought. For all she knew, it could have been minutes instead of seconds, yet she didn't care. After she kissed him, she felt whole and more at peace with herself, like she had regained a part of herself that she had lost.

Elena had to tell him. She couldn't live the guilt. "Stefan, there's something I have to tell you."

"Of course, anything," he replied, smiling at her.

Seeing him smile, like that, Elena just could not help but smile back. _He was just so beautiful! _

But, she knew she had to bring Damon back into the picture, even if it hurt him. In a way she already was, by not telling him.

"I'm with Damon," she flatly stated.

Stefan's smile faded into a more serious look. "You're with my brother," he replied. "And you two didn't bother to tell me?"

Elena knew he was hurt, she hated hurting him. She had to explain to him, try to make him understand… Let alone him… herself.

"We didn't try to hide it from you," she started. "It's just that…" "Auh," she sighed, placing her hands on her forehead, pushing her hair back. "I don't know why I feel the way I do about him, or you." "I love both of you, in different ways." "Yet, all that does is hurt both of you, and I hate doing that!" she cried.

"I never loved anyone the way I loved you!" "But, I… I, somehow, feel like Damon is who I should be with, and I know it doesn't make any sense, what-so-ever, but I…" she went on, with tears filling in her eyes.

Elena covered her eyes, to dry them. Then she looked up and saw Stefan was gone. "Oh no!" she cried. She couldn't let him go, not like this!

"Stefan!" she shouted, racing after him. "Wait!" As she saw him walking back into the forest.

"Stefan, please!" she panted, as she dashed towards him.

Stefan stopped, and turned around to face her. "What do you want?!" he shouted.

Elena caught up with him and immediately started to reply, "Stefan, I almost lost you, and I won't lose you again!" The words just flew out of her mouth, but she meant every one of them.

"I can't believe it!" "I'm the "good guy" right?" "Yet, I lose the girl that has always loved me, and for what?!" "A stealing, manipulative brother, who tried to steal her away from me!" "And you let him!" he cried. "You already have lost me… You already have let me go!" he coldly stated. "And this day has been a complete waste of time!"

Those words felt like a knife to her heart. Elena knew he was right. _Damon did hurt him!_ _And she let him take her away from the one person who loved her more than anything else in the world! And she let herself hurt him, like it was nothing! Elena, I hate you! _She mentally screamed at herself. Then she thought, _why was I leading him on? Why can't I just accept that I have to let him go? _But, the more she thought about it, the more she began to realise, that she just couldn't let him go… She wouldn't! Damon or not, Stefan was the one she had always belonged with. They had always belonged to each other.

Elena looked straight into his eyes, and saw the tears swelling up in them. She could see the pain, and the hurt he had. She despised herself, for hurting him! She knew she was crying too. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she cupped Stefan's face and kissed him, as hard and as passionately as she could.

Stefan was in utter bewilderment. _What is happening? What is she doing? _He thought, yet the longer the kiss lasted, the more he settled down, and knew it was right. They belonged together.

They didn't know how long the kiss lasted, for all they knew it could've been have been minutes or hours, yet for all they cared, it could have been the rest of the day.

They drew apart and gazed deeply into each other's eyes. Elena now understood why was so uneased the entire summer… she was apart from Stefan. She knew that was why, all summer long, she felt a constant void in her life. She and Stefan were driven apart, and God only knows why! Then she thought of Damon. She knew it was the memory of the sire bond that had kept her with him. She knew that was why she started to, again, treat Damon like Stefan. _She always did, and she was tried of having a substitute for Stefan! She wanted him, and him alone!_ The more she thought of Stefan, the more she was around Stefan, she felt her true feelings being set back into their right place. "Stefan, I love you," she cried.

Stefan ran his fingers through her dark brown hair and replied, "Elena, I love you, and I just know, I always will!"

Elena cupped his face and kissed him again, fiercely, like she could never stop.

Stefan kissed her back just as hard, and just as passionate.

Once they drew apart to gasp for air, Elena now knew she would have to face Damon.

"Now, the only hard thing I have to do is to face Damon," she sighed. "And I have no idea how I'll be able to that," she stated, choking on her words.

Stefan lifted his right hand and placed it on her cheek. "Hey, you have me." "I'll always be here for you!"

Elena started to cry, when she heard those words. She appreciated them, so much, yet she didn't want to come between them… again. She had to face Damon, alone.

But, she knew she had Stefan, and Stefan had her! They would never be apart again!


	2. Elena's Confrontation

Chapter 2:

Elena's Confrontation

Stefan and Elena spent the rest of the day together. They walked all over the town hand in hand, not caring if anyone saw them. They followed some of the college students to the bomb fire in the woods. At first Elena said no, but when Stefan said that it would be fun, she gave in and they went along.

At the bomb fire, they ran into Caroline, who couldn't have been happier or more pleased with the situation. "Oh, my God, this is really happening!" "Elena and Stefan are finally together!" she screamed for joy.

Stefan gave her a big smile back, as he wrapped his arm over Elena's shoulder.

Elena sighed, "Caroline, I know this made your day, but Damon is still in the picture, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Caroline sighed, in disgust, "Fine, I know, you're right, Damon is still there." "But, hell with that right now, you two are here, it's a roaring party, just go and have fun!" she finished with a beaming grin.

Before Elena had the chance to reply, Caroline interjected, "Elena, be responsible and courteous tomorrow, just for once let yourself have fun," Caroline, firmly ordered. She looked over to Stefan, I'm counting on you, don't let her mope or brood herself tonight, okay!"

"I won't, I promise," Stefan replied, giving her a thumbs up.

Elena couldn't help but laugh at the two, after all this time, they still both had to keep her in line

Stefan grabbed Elena's hand and walked her over to the center of the party. They stopped and he pulled her in for a dance.

"How do you remember to dance?" Elena asked in a joking tone.

Stefan smirked, "Well, not all my memories are gone."

Elena smiled, "I'm glad, because the old you hated dancing, I used to have to get on my hands and knees and beg you to dance with me."

Stefan started to laugh, as he replied, "Did I use to be that much of a brooder, you and I are more alike than I thought."

Elena opened her mouth wide in laughter, "Oh, now you're reflecting off on me." She thought about what he said, he was right, she and Stefan had always been exactly the same, as humans, and as vampires.

"No wonder Caroline calls us "soul mates,"" she stated.

As they danced, some of the other couples joined in. It was a "classical" bomb fire party. Elena was enjoying herself so much, she forgot all about Damon. After the party, she and Stefan walked back home.

Once they entered the foyer of the boarding house, they were confronted by Damon and Jeremy. Jeremy's faced was flushed, while Damon threw his hands up in the air.

"There they are, took you long enough," he bellowed.

"We were just having fun," Stefan stated. "Being the "fun brother" you should know all about that," he teased.

Elena glanced at him, then back at Damon. "Okay, let's not fight, Damon," she snapped, holding out her arms. "Jer, what's wrong?!" "You look horrible!"

"Elena, I…" Jeremy paused, but knew he had to tell them. "Bonnie's dead."

"What?!" they shot out.

"Bonnie, as in your best friend?" Stefan asked.

"Yes," Elena answered. "How can she be dead, she was with her mother, she was traveling."

"Little brother here, was told by Bonnie not to tell us the truth," Damon interjected. "She wanted all of us to be "happy.""

"How can we possibly be happy, when **our** best friend is dead?!" Elena screamed.

"You seemed happy," Damon sniggered. "Now that you have Stefan back in your life."

Elena looked at him, in disbelief, "How can you do this right now?"

"Well, you were together, all day, and when you came back, you both seemed cozy," Damon snapped.

Elena was furious with him. _How can he do this? She knew she was now with Stefan, but how can Damon act so unkindly?! Especially since their friend's death had gone unnoticed?!_

She was almost in tears. She glared at Damon, then turned to face Stefan. "I'm sorry he said those words." "And I'm sorry you don't remember Bonnie, she was a good friend of yours, too," Elena apoligsed.

Jeremy thought it best to leave the room. He did, leaving them alone.

"Damon, we really need to talk," Elena said, breaking the silence.

"Oh please, Elena, all summer long you've lied to me!" Damon hissed. "Saying how much you love me, when clearly you never have." "It's always gonna be Stefan," he mocked back.

Elena's shot up, when she heard those words.

"Actually, now that I think about it, you lied to both of us." "You're worse than Katherine!" Damon remarked.

He started to laugh to himself, while Elena could barely keep her head up. This was too much, how can she handle Damon fuming, and Bonnie's death? She covered her face, as she sat of the sofa and broke down into tears.

Stefan hated seeing Elena get broken down. He wouldn't stand for it! His "brother" was hurting and belittling the girl he loved. He lunged himself at Damon and snapped his neck.

"Auh, Stefan!" Elena screamed.

Stefan turned to face her, "I'm sorry, he deserved that, he was hurting you."

Elena nodded, "Yes, he was, but I hurt him, too." "I hurt both of you, I deserve what he said and more."

"No!" Stefan shouted. "No one deserves to be treated like that."

"Stefan, I've hurt you just as much, he's right, I am worse than Katherine!" Elena cried.

_Katherine, the girl who looked like Elena, the one he and Damon had once cared for. Stefan remembered Damon telling him about her. How she lied and betrayed them, and used them in her little game. She was a bitch! Elena was nothing like her, at all! _

"No, Elena, you're better than she is, you're better than he is!" Stefan reassured.

"How can I be, I let you go, when I didn't really want to." "I lied to Damon, when I said I loved him." "I'm a horrible person!" Elena thundered.

Stefan walked over and took her in his arms, "Elena, I love you, I understand."

"No, Stefan, you don't, I haven't told you why I did what I did," Elena replied.

"Then tell me, I will understand," he, firmly stated. "Elena, I love you!"

Elena stopped crying, and looked at him. Once their eyes connected, she felt all of her sadness disappear.

"Now, I would like you to wash away those tears while I make arrangements for a memorial for Bonnie," Stefan, said comfortingly.

Elena smiled, she knew she would be strong with him by her side.


End file.
